Scabbard



April J. TYSON 2,3,

S CABBARD F'iied Sept. 17, 1945 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 30, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 V f 2,399,522 j 1 TSCABBARD" I I Jay Tyson, Cleveland, Ohio "Application September 17,1943,; Serial No. 502,760

' lClaim. (c1. 22 9-5) This invention, as indicated, relates toscabbards. More particularly, it comprises a scabbard adapted to receivea knive or other cutting implement. It is of particular advantage whenusedby butchers in packing plants where rigid inspection to securesanitary conditions is in force. The invention includes means forsuspending the scabbard from the belt of the operator and is soconstructed that the entire device may be subjected to cleansing andsterilizing operations without injury.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a scabbardof light weight, and so constructed as to be maintained in a sanitarycondition with a minimum of effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scabbard particularlyadapted for use by butchers conducting slaughtering operations, whichwill provide a sanitary receptacle for holding the butchering knifewithout injury to the cutting edge thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scabbard ada ted toreceive a knife in a position which will protect the edge from injuryand protect the user from danger of accidentally striking the cuttingedge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Scabbard formed oftransparent plastic material with curved surfaces, whereby the same maybe readily inspected and maintained in sanitary condition at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scabbard havingstructural elements so disposed as to permit ready access thereto bysuitable cleaning facilities and permitting inspection of all partsthereof so that the same may be maintained in dependable sanitarycondition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scabbard and a freeswinging supporting structure therefor which involves a minimum numberof parts and which is made of material peculiarly adapted to beingreadily cleansed and inspected to maintain the same in perfect sanitarycondition.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course ofthe following description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claim, the annexed drawing and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain structures embodying theinvention, such disclosed means constituting,

however, but several of various forms in which the principle of theinvention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a scabbard structure embodying theprinciples of the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the structure shown in Figure l, as seenfrom the right hand side;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a scabbard supportedon the belt of a user, with a knife partially inserted therein; and

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the body portion of the scabbard asseen from the lower end thereof.

As is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the scabbard comprises a bodyportion I and a supporting portion 2, this supporting portion having atits upper end a terminal loop section 3. The scabbard may be formed ofdifferent types of material, but the advantages from a sanitarystandpoint of a transparent synthetic material are very great inconnection with an article of this type, and the preferred materialcomprises Plexiglas. The material used is preferably of heavy gauge,approximately one eighth of an inch in thickness, and the body portionis formed of a sheet of this material with the blank so shaped that byfolding the side portions 4, 5, toward each other, the body portion willpresent a slightly tapered partially covered section 6 over its majorextent and an uncovered area I the side margins 8 of which merge withthe covered portion 6. The folding of the side portions, as is shown inFigure 2, is preferably along a line inclined upwardly so as to providean upper portion 9 of greater width than the width of the lower end.

At the point of merger of the partially covered section with the sidewalls 8, a guard bar I l is provided. The guard bar, it will be noted,is spaced adjacent the front portion of the scabbard and is securelyheld therein by means of screws 12 engaged in screw-threaded sockets [3,formed in each end of the guard bar which is preferably of cylindricalshape. The screws l2 bear against the flattened side portions M of thebody member and in the event of injury to the guard bar permit readyreplacement thereof. The ends of the guard bar preferably fit firmly,against the inner walls of the flattened side portions of the body, andthe cylindrical guard bar is spaced above the upper edges of the foldedside portions 4 and 5 heretofore referred to.

These upper edges l5 of the side portions are preferably beveled on a 45angle and the free edges of the folded side portions below such beveledtop edges are inclined toward each other so as to provide a slot ofgradually decreasing width, the edges at the closest point of approachll near the lower end of the body being of a width approximately oneeighth of an inch, corresponding to the thickness of the material usedin forming such body. The side portions have curved lower ends 18preferably formed on a short radius of curvature. i

The slot, asabovedescribed, permits a thorough cleansing of the bodyportion of the scabbard by means of a wire-handled brush or mop,

3. The loop section 3 may be formed in various ways, but as illustratedcomprises a narrow strip of plastic material preferably of the samegauge as the remaining portion of the structure and folded so as toprovide an open loop of a suitable size to receive the belt of theoperator, the loop terminating above the position of the rings 26heretofore described and being held firmly against the rearward wall bymeans of a rivet 29 or other suitable fastening. e

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of those explained, change being made as regards the strucor thelike, and the entire device may be inserted in a cleansing bath of hotwater or sterilizing liquid. By reason of the folded side memberspresenting no sharp corners and curved surfaces both inside and outsideof the structure, the device presents no irregularities to which foreignmatter may cling and thus bring about an unsanitary condition while thedevice is in use. The open bottom of the structure permits all suchforeign matter to fall freely through the scabbard instead of lodging atan intermediate point.

The scabbard may be suspended in various Ways from the body or belt ofthe operator, but the supporting structure illustrated has been foundvery advantageous. The supporting structure, as stated, is formed of twosections. A flat plate 2 having a base portion 2| of greater width thanits upper portion 22 is attached at its lower end by means of rings 23engaged through holes 24 in the member 2 and through holes 25 in theupper portion 1 of the body portion of the scabbard. These rings providefree movement of the supporting member 2 with reference to the bodyportion of the scabbard, and further freedom of movement is provided bya similar means of connection of the supporting member 2 with the loopsection 3, This connection comprises rings 26 engaged through holes 21in the upper portion 22 of the supporting member and corresponding holes28 in the lower portion of the loop section ture herein disclosed,provided the means stated by the following claim or the equivalent ofsuch v statedmeans be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

A scabbard for receiving knives and the like comprising an elongatedbody member formed of transparent plastic material with folded sideportions providing a receptacle with a back wall, side walls and a frontwall area provided by extensions of the folded side walls, with theirfront edges in spaced relation to provide a central slot ofprogressively increasing width to a point spaced from the top edgethereof, a plastic cylindrical guard bar extending parallel to the topedge and transversely of said scabbard secured to the side Walls abovethe foldedside portions thereof and spaced from the rear wall of theScabbard a distance sufiicient to permit the free insertion of the bladebetween said guard bar and said rear Wall but to prevent the passage ofthe knife handle therebetween, and means for supporting said Scabbard,comprising a plurality of plates serially and loosely connected to eachother and to the upper edge of the body portion by means of pairs ofspaced rings, the uppermost of said plates having a loop for attachmentto the body of a person.

JAY TYSON.

